"Is that all?" came the voice of the commander of the Roys-VIII forces. "The Sith is dead? Did you defeat him, Jedi?"
I sighed, sensing the upper part of Hart's body with the Force… A young teenager of about fifteen to seventeen with white hair and yellow eyes—a sign of the dark side of the Force. Bending down, I ran my hand over them, closing his eyelids. During his last attack, I cut Seth in half at the waist. And he's no Darth Maul to survive such a thing.
In addition, he tried to take over my body, and after that—even the bodies of his clones…
My body… Who hasn't tried to possess it—even a Sith from the time of Vitiate licked his lips. As for the clones… Apparently, Sheyjen and Jacob succeeded in destroying them. But I relaxed too early.
Emerging from my thoughts, I looked at the commander.
"Nothing is over yet," the words sounded with a slight hoarseness. Clearing my throat, I continued. "Secure the mansion, especially the part that was shelled. Only I and my forces can be there, and don't touch anything in the mansion. There may still be dangerous objects here."
"Jedi!" a sob was heard from behind the sentient beings. I looked in that direction. Shit… "Help her! Help!"
The crowd parted, and before me appeared a family, whose father held a girl in his arms. She tried to smile, but there was nothing to smile about—judging by her aura, she was wounded by one of the blaster bolts I deflected. And not only her… Among the civilians, there were many wounded… These are the consequences of my actions. I could have attacked Seth secretly, but instead, I decided to "play it safe" and attacked him in such a way that everyone saw it… And what did it lead to? Innocents suffered, including because of my stupidity. By a miracle alone, my first attack—with the throw of a lightsaber—didn't kill anyone near Hart… However, we didn't hold back afterward. I clearly saw several corpses… Was it worth it at all?
"Step aside," I demanded. I can barely support myself in healing—let alone others. However, this does not mean that I have not studied this Force Technique, have not tried to improve my skills. I cannot fully revive the girl, but I can keep her alive so that she survives. I placed my hand on her chest and directed the Force into her.
"It's all because of you," a female voice was heard from behind. "If it weren't for you, my daughter wouldn't have been hurt!"
"Deira!" General Lorin's voice was heard. "Shut up. If you haven't noticed—Seth Hart was a Sith, a Dark Gifted, who was outside the law of the Republic, and at the same time, he was under the jurisdiction of a Jedi. But… Attacking him like this, head-on, in a crowd… Jedi, it's somehow…"
"I used the methods I deemed necessary," sweat broke out on my forehead. The Force… Can I fight one more time? While pretending to be a great healer, I realized that the decision to challenge the Sith was the easiest thing I had done today. In battle, everything is simple—there is you and your enemy. But what to do when the battle is over? Every decision has consequences. The battle, too. And therein lies the main difficulty—right now, I have to accept the not-so-pleasant consequences of my battle with the Dark Gifted. And thanks to Lorin, the consequences are not so severe. It was he who organized the sentient beings, forcing them to hide and stay away from the enraged "lightsaber-wielders." What if he hadn't been there? How many victims could there have been? Victory over evil is far from the end. If everything in the world could be solved with one swing of a blade—our life wouldn't be life, but a fairy tale. But I have repeatedly convinced myself that the Far, Far Away Galaxy doesn't tell fairy tales. Why, when there is reality? And now it's just beginning. And I'm not just talking about Jonnal Ezar, who is sitting in the Temple on Coruscant and already knows that Seth Hart has lost, no.
I have no idea what the Master of Shadows might do—like the actions of all madmen vested with power, his actions are also beyond any logical explanation. But one thing is certain: he has his own perspective that explains everything, all these deaths: archaeologists, shadows, matukais, and many others because of his conspiracy with Seth Hart…
While I was thinking, the girl clearly felt better, but she still needed the help of a qualified specialist. Unless… I took out a medkit that was in one of my pockets, hidden under the armor.
"Here, it's not bacta, but kolto," I handed the packet of liquid to the girl's relatives. "This will help her survive. I've done everything I can. After all, I'm more of a fighter than a doctor."
"She will survive," the father of the family said. The girl's cheeks flushed.
"Of course," I nodded. "Although she will have to undergo treatment. Is anyone else injured here?" I asked loudly. "I can help. And I still have some kolto left."
The crowd buzzed, and meanwhile, I contacted Logun Irean.
"Logun," I said to the Rodian's hologram. "Sit down and provide assistance to the sentient beings who may have been injured during the fight. We also need to discuss your share. Jacob," a hologram of the Mandalorian in armor appeared next to me. "Report the status."
"Part of Seth Hart's mansion was completely destroyed," Logun said, interrupting Jacob. "We destroyed the hangar, living quarters, halls, and much more…"
"After that, we descended to the ground and, as you said, entered the underground complex," Jacob continued. "Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. There were so many droids as guards… but that's not the main thing: we found three bodies—three clones that were in cryo-pods. Around each of them was drawn… In a circle with strange symbols that my computer identified as 'ancient Sith language.' And Sheyjen… He clutched his head. I think he had something like an epileptic seizure," by the way, it's quite possible. We must understand that we, the Gifted, perceive our surroundings, including through the Force, and therefore an unprepared adept may experience sensory shock. "He just ordered to blow up, to destroy everything related to those clones, which we did. Only then did he calm down."
"Good," I sighed. "I killed Seth Hart's main body…"
"Oh, everyone already knows about that," Logun said. "The broadcast you launched managed to cause a stir in many sectors of the Republic. I even think I shouldn't take Seth Hart's treasures… at least because your actions have provided us with publicity for ten years to come."
"Excellent," Jarps said, "then I'll take your share…"
"Wait, what?" Irean exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind, mando?"
"You yourself said that publicity is more important to you," Jacob said imperturbably. "So…"
"Quiet," I interrupted their argument. Irean and Jacob turned their attention to me. "Logun, go down and provide assistance. Jacob, prevent any attempts to get to the treasures until someone from the Jedi Order arrives here. If you've forgotten—let me remind you. These are all the treasures of the Dark Gifted Seth Hart, who in terms of power could be considered a Sith—especially in terms of techniques! So shut up and don't argue. You will be given what is due to you on behalf of the Order. That's all. Jacob, I'll come to you now to inspect the work front. Carry out."
I cut off the connection and moved towards the door leading out of the hall.
"Jedi," General Lorin approached me again. "The troops have cordoned off the area and are awaiting orders. Your instructions?"
"Let them patrol the perimeter. Let no one in, and let no one out without THOROUGH CHECK. Please inform the planet's citizens that regardless of their status—it is strictly forbidden to remove items from here until further notice from a representative of the Jedi Order sent here. Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes," the general nodded. "Everything will be executed, Master Jedi."
"I am only a Knight," I shook my head, "however… As you wish. And now, please do not disturb me. If you need my help," I handed Lorin the datapad with my left hand, "here is my number. Scan it and call if you need me."
"Understood."
I was about to move towards the exit when I received a signal from "Star Way" on my datapad.
"Yes, VV," the droid's hologram appeared before me. I decided to talk to him on the way. Reaching the door, I pressed the button with the Force and opened it. Part of the corridor was broken and led down—it had clearly been hit by a turbolaser.
"Sir, you are being summoned from the Jedi Temple… And you have also been reinstated on the list of the living," they said quickly. We just finished everything.
"Transfer the call to my datapad, VV," I demanded from the droid. A few seconds later, the Grand Master appeared before me, with Jonnal and Dooku sitting next to him. I looked around… I was being contacted from the High Council Tower, and all the Masters were present—even in hologram form.
"Masters," I swept my eyes over the holograms of those present. "Good afternoon."
"Not good, judging by the news," Jonnal snorted. "A Sith on Roys, and one who has been hiding for a thousand years…"
"I disagree. Good afternoon," Yoda said. "Light is alive, and that warms my soul. As for Seth Hart—we have seen what happened to him. We congratulate you on your victory."
"Alas, victory is not the end of everything, Masters," I said. "Seth Hart was involved in the disappearance of Jedi Shadows and Archaeologists. And now it is necessary to find out," I tried in no way to reveal my suspicions right now—Jonnal could be scared off. Accusing him openly right now is not the best option. "Who could have helped him from the Jedi Order."
"Are you suspecting brothers and sisters of the Order?" Yoda asked seriously.
"I don't suspect anyone yet, but we need to find out who helped him. No matter how hard it is to feel that someone betrayed us."
"Light is right," Dooku sided with me. The man's hologram bowed. "Master Jonnal, will you undertake the task of identifying the traitor of the Order?" he turned his gaze to Ezar.
"I will start immediately," Ezar promised. "And believe me, the traitor will not like the outcome of my investigation."
The main thing is not to implicate oneself during the investigation. However, Jonnal won't be able to get away with it easily—he will have to provide at least some results. We could catch him on them, because no matter what results he presented (and I no longer doubted that he was leaking all information to Hart), they would be easy to "smash." Or… Strike with the fact right now… No… Not the time. I looked at the holograms again. It is dangerous to make such a statement now. It is best to use the ship's stygium coating to go to Coruscant, return to the Jedi Temple, and then directly address Yoda there. Yoda, of course, missed Palpatine… But in general, he is for the Jedi—that is absolutely clear to everyone. So it doesn't matter what Jonnal says. If we corner him with Yoda's help—it will mean his absolute end.
"The Council has sent Master Evan Piell to you," Master Poli Dapaten informed. Piell's hologram nodded. "He will oversee everything related to the study of Hart's mansion."
"Should I start studying the mansion?" I asked the Council.
"No, that will be Master Evan's responsibility," Oppo Rancisis said. "You, however, should return to Coruscant for now and submit a report, as well as undergo examinations."
During dangerous missions, a Jedi's worldview can be tested, and not everyone can withstand this test with dignity. Therefore, we have a whole wagon of psychotests, which we undergo from the moment we become younglings. First of all, they check if my confrontation with a dark gifted of this level has led me to "something wrong"… Well… This is not the first and far from the last dark gifted I will confront. And yet—tradition is tradition. I will pass the psychotest, as well as this wagon of other examinations. The hardest part was when Mila died. The rupture of the Force connection due to the death of one of those connected is not the most pleasant thing. But, on the other hand, I have already come to terms with it.
"As you command," I bowed slightly. "During my investigation, I was able to find out that Seth Hart learned the mind transfer technique using Darth Andeddu's Holocron. It is possible that he is somewhere in the mansion," I looked at Master Evan.
"Master Evan will find Darth Andeddu's Holocron," Yoda said. "And he now knows what to look for."
"And one last thing, Masters," I drew their attention. "Until Master Evan arrives, I have ordered the Roys army to cordon off the mansion. Among other things, the mansion will be guarded by my allies, with whom I was able to negotiate in the process. Captain Logun Irean, the group of Mandalorian Jacob Jarps, and… matukai Sheyjen. They showed loyalty and helped me greatly with the final destruction of the Sith. I would like the Order to reward them accordingly. The destruction of the Sith, victory over him, would satisfy any Jedi… But my allies are not Jedi, but, in essence, mercenaries. They should be paid…"
"Master Evan will handle this," Yoda decreed. "Your friends will be rewarded by the Order accordingly."
"Matukai is your ally?" Jonnal suddenly said.
"Master?" I looked questioningly at Ezar. "Do you have anything against it? I thought matukais do not belong to the dark gifted, at least Sheyjen did not use anything that would go beyond the 'abilities of matukais' and give reason to consider him an adept of the 'Dark Side of the Force.' So yes, he is my ally. In addition, my Order considered me dead, and in order not to break the conspiracy and to catch Hart better, I decided to act on the sidelines, not through the Order."
"I understand your explanations," Jonnal said. "We will discuss this when you return to Coruscant. Prepare a detailed report regarding everything that forced you to leave Alderaan."
"It will be done, Master Ezar," I bowed, "Masters," I said goodbye to everyone. "If that's all, I bid you farewell."
"Light," Piell addressed me, "introduce me to the participants of your operation."
"As you wish. I will call you when I approach them," I moved on. The corridor ended with an elevator shaft, which had also been shelled.
Sheyjen and Jacob are downstairs now. I jumped down and, using a grappling hook, slowed my fall. I had to go underground about twenty meters. The first thing I saw were the remains of droids. Many droids of different models, along with blasters, lay in the corridor.
"Ah, it's you," Sheyjen's voice came from ahead. The teenager didn't look in the best condition—covered in soot and burns. His glaive was stuck in one of the droids lying nearby. "I heard you killed that creature. Congratulations."
"And you had quite a spree here," I glanced around the room. Torn droid parts lay literally everywhere. "Where are his clones?"
"They were in that room," he waved his hand behind him. "We just blew them up. Light… There were some symbols and such an aura… I thought my brain would explode, the energy was so…"
"Wrong, different?"
"Yes," Sheyjen confirmed. "Besides the clones, I managed to find many artifacts, mostly Sith, but there are also a couple of Jedi Holocrons. Should I give them to you?"
"No," I shook my head. "Master Piell will take these treasures, he is already flying here. By the way, where are Jacob and the others?"
"They went to play with Hart's computer," Sheyjen shrugged. Then he pointed me with his hand where they were.
"I see," I said. "Well, you've had your revenge. Or rather—justice has been served. What do you intend to do now?"
"Hmm…" the young matukai pondered. "I want to go on a journey through the Galaxy with my sisters. I have a lot to see… Without a mentor now. I feel it's important."
"Is that so. Well, I wish you luck. And now let's go to our mando," together we went into the room, the entrance to which was on the right. It was the most intact. The Mandalorians were found near the computer terminal and, judging by their actions, were downloading information.
"My congratulations on your victory," Jacob said, distracted. "We are studying something here," he looked at the computer display again. "You can't imagine what's here. This Hart is aware of the so-called Bane Sith. And he suspected that one of them was somehow connected to the financial sector. He even managed to find evidence of his machinations… Although indirect."
So he managed to get, albeit not fully, to Plagueis? That's interesting…
"Show me," I asked, approaching the terminal. Jacob began to scroll through the information. "The information is interesting, but the source… Do you know this sentient being?"
The sender's address was hidden. Which is not surprising—Seth Hart preferred to hide many things.
"Why are you interested in him?" Hori asked.
"The information that someone is connected to the Republic's finances is only general here," I noted. "But this source," I pointed to the computer screen, "may know much more than he leaked to Hart. Seth himself is from Darth Bane's lineage. But he probably didn't keep a close eye on his former comrades, trying not to stand out. However, recently he decided to 'return to surveillance'… And who is so smart and cunning that he can find hints of a Sith in the financial sector? And what else did he find? Finding and eliminating Sith is my duty. And I would like to talk to this sentient being."
It's unlikely this is Jonal Ezar. He knew for sure and set up Seth Hart for the Shadow's attacks... For some reason of his own. But he hardly knows about the identities of Sidious and Plagueis. Which means someone else is capable of obtaining information about the Sith... Perhaps even gifted – who knows what the Force has in store? But who? Another mystery. I'll have to find out who it is and pay a visit somehow... What to do with the Baneites in the end, I hesitated. On the one hand, it might seem that by eliminating both, we will avoid a huge number of casualties... But on the other hand – no, because the Yuuzhan Vong are coming! And Bane's Sith line, Palpatine, was precisely preparing for their invasion. And using the fleet and army of Sidious's Empire against those carved faces would be a pleasure. But if Sidious is allowed to seize power... Tens, hundreds of millions, perhaps even billions of sentient beings will suffer. The Imperials will destroy an entire planet with a single blow. A beautiful planet... And I will be one of the tacit culprits in this crime, because I knew how it would all turn out, and did nothing! I clenched my fists... The reason I thought about leaving Sidious and Plagueis alone is also that the Galaxy would go through a lesson. The population of the planets would see what life is like under the Empire and after that, they would run back to the Republic in a "joyful crowd"... Although it's a shitty plan to make sentient beings pay for their stupidity this way... And also, the Galactic Empire and its fall, the triumph of the Republic – this is a topic I know very well. And if I cut down a couple of Sidious-Plagueis now or at any non-canonical moment in time, I will dive into a completely unknown sequence of events.
Hmmmm... So, I have two options. More precisely – two motives. The first is to act for the good of the Galaxy with all the consequences – either by preventing Palpatine from coming to power or by overthrowing him. The second is to let everything go to hell, everything has already been figured out for us. I influenced the original events very little. Well, I talked with Palpatine about democracy and monarchism, but what did that change and will it change? He remains an autocrat as he was. And I still haven't decided what to do... I'd like to say: why don't you go to hell, Sidious and Plagueis?! This is MY story, I know better what needs to be done, so let's transform the Order, and the whole Republic along with it, and I won't wait until you destroy everything! I'd like to... But here we return to point two: one could simply step aside, accumulate resources, and then come to an already prepared familiar field and give everyone their due, so that no one leaves offended, but...
Light, can you, after accepting this option, look into the eyes of all those who will die because of your inaction? Your conscience will torment you... I could have saved them then. Or tried to save them. I, it seems, know how it will all turn out, what catastrophe awaits the Galaxy... And I would still accept the option of allowing this catastrophe simply because it is beneficial to me? So, the death of so many sentient beings is beneficial to me? Force... What a wretch I am – to have such thoughts. I slapped myself on the cheeks and shook my head. Alderaan, Caamas... Dozens more planets that could suffer from the Empire. And what to do? The trouble is that I can talk about the advantages of both the establishment of the Empire and the destruction of Sidious before he gains such power... What to do...
Hmmmm... And what do I want? Well, let's say I know – to transform the Jedi Order, the Republic, i.e. to try to build a society that I would like more. Yes, I see the goal, I believe in myself and don't notice obstacles, of course! However, if we think seriously, I see two paths: to allow Palpatine to transform the Republic into an Empire and build everything on a ready-made field or to fight Palpatine in a non-canonical situation. I understand perfectly well that I am unlikely to become a politician and intriguer of his level, but... Should we stop because of this? I never intended to be a Jedi, but I became one. I was not a warrior at all, let alone a killer, but I became one. If you persevere, you can achieve something. All that's left is to come up with a plan... "It's as easy as pie!" - I'd like to say, but... we all understand that it's only smooth on paper.
"I'll download this information," I said. What to do with Palpatine and Damask? I can't do anything to them now – it's simply not profitable. So, the Galaxy, by my grace, awaited upheavals. No... I need to wait for a more advantageous position. The plus is that the enemies are not aware of me and my knowledge. There are, however, some concerns regarding Sidious's entourage in the form of Sly Moore, and the Prophets of the Dark Side are not sleeping... Ideally, I should cut them down, but there's no need to rush now. "Everything concerning Jedi, Sith, and gifted belongs to the Jedi Order, Jacob. I hope I won't have to repeat this to you."
"You won't have to," the Mando nodded. "I'll give you access to my datapad – you can study everything I've downloaded. There's only information about some of his agents and intelligence data not related to the gifted. Including insider stock market information. A useful thing for a financier."
"Are you going to become one?" I asked the mercenary.
"Of course. You know, I want to retire... And not like my dear brother," said the Mandalorian. "I want to buy a villa on some tropical planet and live happily ever after. Khori wants to return to Tustra, and Bombur..."
"I want to rest too," the explosives expert announced. "But most of all, Vanda wants our group to disband – she'll finally marry the captain," he said and immediately received a slap on the back of the head from the mandalorian woman.
"So this is your last mission," I summarized.
"Hmph, if your Order pays us adequately for our participation – yes," said Jarps. "I'm tired, Light. Purely humanly."
"Well, it had to happen sometime," I shrugged. "Master Evan Piell will arrive here. You will also hand everything over to him. Speaking of him, VV," I contacted the droid. The droid's hologram appeared before me. "Connect us with Master Piell."
The droid beeped in agreement. Luckily, Piell was out of hyperspace. Receiving signals in hyperspace only became possible towards the Clone Wars? I don't remember. In any case, this technology has not yet been invented or is well hidden.
"Master Piell."
"Light," said the lannik's hologram.
"Meet those who helped me in my attack on Seth Hart. Mandalorian mercenaries, their captain Jacob Jarps, and matukai Sheydjen."
The master's hologram scanned them.
"The Order has appreciated your contribution – each is entitled to five million credits," Jacob whistled. "I also heard about Captain Logun Irean. He gets the same. And, of course, all material and monetary trophies you find are also yours. Everything related to the gifted: intelligence, artifacts, descriptions of techniques – becomes the property of the Jedi Order. Taking them from the mansion is strictly forbidden. We will settle the accounts when I arrive at the location. As for you, Light... I have five jumps left, I think I'll be here in three days. And you fly to Coruscant. They are expecting you there with a detailed report."
"I will do so, Master," I bowed slightly. The hologram disappeared. "Well, you heard him. I advise, by the way, not to try to deceive him in any way or plot against him. Master Evan is a formidable fighter, one of the best in the Jedi Order and the High Council. He will chop you up, if anything happens, in a couple of seconds."
"I never thought of deceiving him, especially after what he told us," Jacob said with satisfaction. "Good luck on your path, Light. I understand you're leaving us."
"Yes, I must return to Coruscant. VV," I called the droid. "Prepare the ship. All the best to you."
"I'll send coordinates later where we'll settle down," Jacob shared. "You can visit us if you wish. You are always welcome."
"Thank you," I said.
Coruscant greeted me with a sunset. My ship flew through an exclusive corridor straight into the Jedi Temple... How glad I was to return here after everything that had happened to me... And, unlike my classmates, I returned here alive. No one met me in the hangar – they just informed me that Master Yoda was waiting for me. The old Jedi was resting in one of the meditation rooms. Entering there, I lowered my hood.
"Light, you're alive," Yoda said.
"Good evening, Master. I sent you the report two days ago," I said.
"I read it. It seemed interesting to me. You suspect other Sith, Hart?"
"Yes," I agreed. "Although there is no direct evidence. Most likely, Shillage was also working for someone from those Sith that Hart suspected. After completing the current mission, I intend to head to the Outer Rim to find that source of information that supplied Seth Hart with data."
"Trust your intuition and feelings," Yoda said. "They will help in your research. But haven't you finished the current mission? By defeating Hart? Or... Do you know who from our Temple was connected with him?"
"I know," I confirmed. "But you won't like this information," a wave of ionization spread from me. Master Yoda tensed and opened his eyes. The gaze of the green dwarf was not filled with his usual cheerfulness, no – it was heavy and serious. I rarely saw him like this. Leaning over Yoda's ear, I spoke the name.
"It's impossible," he said, placing a hand on his heart.
"Listen to your intuition, Master," I repeated his words. "And you will understand that it is so."
"These are serious accusations."
"And serious evidence," I replied. "I intend to play a game with him. To make him reveal himself. And you... Please, play along with me."
"If everything is as you say, then investigation and meditation will help..."
"It's too long," I interrupted him loudly. "Investigations... Meditations! Master! I perfectly understand your position, but we need to act, not let everything slide. I didn't show it then, during the report, that I guessed his betrayal. But now, if we can't expose him... He might get away, he might even unite with those two Sith that Hart was looking for information about!"
The old Jedi thought.
"All right," Yoda said after a couple of minutes. "We will help you. I and Dooku will accept your plan."
"My plan?" I asked in surprise.
"The credit for all this is yours," Yoda replied calmly. "But, if he is not a traitor..."
"I will accept the punishment," I replied importantly. "Let's go."
About ten minutes later, I entered the open door leading to Jonal Ezar's chambers. The man sat at the table, clasping his hands in front of him and resting his head on them. He was in his usual suit...
"Light."
"Master," I said, sitting down in the chair in front of him.
"Report," he demanded. I feel irritation... He's trying to hide his feelings with the Force, but it's not helping him much.
"Ahem... On Alderaan, two matukai approached me: Sheydjen and Theodor Loy," I began my story. "We headed to the planet Tsay, to a system where the matukai tried to create their state a couple of thousand years ago. There we met Seth Hart for the first time and... He defeated us. But I survived, and I received information that I had been put on the list of the dead."
"Yes, that's interesting," Ezar said thoughtfully. "After all, if this planet is, in fact, in Wild Space, how could we understand that you were dead?"
"And was it impossible to track where the information came from?" I asked Jonal.
"One of the Shadows brought it," Jonal replied. So, he didn't report it? No... Yoda, while we were walking here, noted that it was Jonal Ezar who entered the information about my death into the database. It was he who deleted my account... However, this does not exclude the fact that the traitor might not be Jonal... Although no... How is it not Jonal? Who else, besides the one above the Shadows, can send us on missions? Jonal Ezar is directly responsible for the Shadows. "In any case, that's secondary now," Ezar declared. "What happened next?"
"Next... Next, I went to Kuat, where a certain Rosamunda Atkari, Hart's lover, was at that time, and interrogated this woman. She told me the details..."
"And you, instead of reporting this to the Order," I crossed my legs, "decided to personally go to the one who almost killed you?"
"There is a sentient being in the Order," I looked into the slits of Jonal's mask, through which he looked at the world, "who worked for our enemy. I couldn't risk exposure – if I made a slight mistake, everything would be ruined. I had to take a risk, and the risk paid off..."
"And Seth Hart," Jonal said quietly, "said who the traitor is?"
I leaned forward slightly.
"He hinted... And I think I know who it is," into my right hand, which he couldn't see, a lightsaber slipped.
"So that's it..." the next second I was lifted from the chair and slammed into the wall above the door.
"I thought so," the saber slipped from my left hand and, activating, moved towards Jonal Ezar. Thus, he stopped concentrating on holding me, and I was able to jump to the floor. Jonal blocked my saber, and I returned it to my hand. "Honestly, I should have realized this earlier, Master."
"Realized?" Ezar asked me. "What to realize?"
"That you are the traitor who sold your subordinates to Seth Hart," I said loudly.
"Traitor?" the Master asked me. "Light, who gave you the right to call me that word?! You don't understand the reasons for my actions!"
"What reasons, Master?!" I exclaimed, even too loudly. "Reasons to send your own to their deaths? For what? Did you decide to save the Order this way? Is this another cunning plan to get the Jedi out of stagnation, am I right?"
The man stared at me.
"Yes, you are right. I can tell you about it. Not only can I save the Order, but you too... You and I – together. You are a talented knight, capable of much already. So why not join me? Or... I'll just announce that you have finally fallen, and kill you..."
"So what is your plan?" I asked with a smirk. "Probably, by slicing up Jedi, you wanted to demonstrate the weakness of the current High Council and lead it through your reforms?" I asked the man. "That's the first thing that comes to mind."
"And you are smarter than you seem," Jonal said. "Look around, Light. We are obedient dogs on a leash from the Senate. From pathetic untalented nobodies who can't even rule properly! You went to Alderaan University, studied public administration! You should see this whole mess called the Republic! Do you think this is normal? Do you think that fucking democracy works? Maybe it works in a country, but not in our Order. We are not peacekeepers, we are an army... We must become a structure with a clear management system... And my plan will bring us this structure. Everything will be under my control! And then we will deal with the Senate... We will cut out these worthless corrupt officials by the root and create our own Republic, where the Jedi will be the true guardians. The Republic will be governed through the Order, through its leader! A wise and intelligent one – a worthy sentient being."
"I understand you," I said. Partially I agree with him, although... there are nuances. "And you will be that very sentient being, right?" I asked. "I can see: you don't just want to change something. For you, this is just a struggle for power, not for the changes themselves."
"He who has power can change everything, Light! And it's time to change our lives. Are you with me?" he asked. "Or against me? You can't count on the door opening and you escaping from here. Until I activate the mechanism..."
Suddenly, the door was pierced by two lightsabers – green and blue. Dooku and Yoda got tired of waiting? Honestly, I wanted to give them a signal to enter dramatically and resolve the situation. I am one hundred percent sure that I am nowhere near Master Ezar's level yet. But there's nothing to be done – I'll have to stall for time as long as I can.
"Ah, you bastard," Jonal said maliciously.
"Now I understand – the Temple is full of cameras, but your room is pristine, devoid of any electronic devices except your computer. This was done on purpose, because you rightly considered all Jedi your enemies until you ruled them, Jonal Ezar. That's why you didn't notice two Masters who were behind the door under Force Concealment... It's all over. They know everything, Master. I told them everything and proved it... Surrender, and then you will be treated honestly."
"Honestly?! Honestly?!" Ezar exclaimed. "I will not surrender until I bring the Order to a new dawn."
He rushed to the window, intending to break it. I jumped over the Master, thereby cutting off his path.
"If you want to prove your rightness to everyone so much, why are you running away?"
"Out of the way!" Jonal activated both sabers and tried to chop me.
I blocked his attacks. The second battle with Seth Hart also taught me a little – mostly movements. However, I can't yet handle a fight with a true Jar'Kai master. Jonal attacked quickly and precisely. I retreated. My attempts to counter-attack ended unsuccessfully: in one such attempt, the Master knocked the saber out of my left hand, and then, a moment later, out of my right.
"It's a pity to kill you – you are talented," Jonal said, and I concentrated and focused the Force near my right eye. A trickle of blood ran down my face. He raised his saber... A moment, and the world turned black and white, and a sparkling point appeared on the chair behind him. A second later, I was standing behind him, and Jonal himself cut his own chair. Another moment, and I returned the saber to my right hand, then delivered a quick blow. Jonal turned, but he didn't manage to block the attack correctly, and as a result, I cut off his right hand. "BASTARD!" I was thrown back by telekinesis and, thanks to the cat, I barely managed to miss Dooku and Yoda's lightsabers. My right eye burned with fire...
During the time I was flying to Coruscant, I was practicing my teleportation variant. The technique I was able to use now, I decided to call "Heavenly Hand" – by analogy with the one Sasuke Uchiha had in the anime and manga Naruto/Boruto. The technique allows you to place a special mark on the target and swap places with the marked object. Instantly. The downside is that you need to see the target. Also, I can only use this technique twice, and at the moment it overloads my body too much, especially the eye, which takes the main load. It is very difficult to use the technique in combat, as it is exhausting... And I would be dead if I hadn't taken into account the fact that the Masters had just finished breaking down the door and burst into the room.
Jonal Ezar, without a hand, looked like a wounded beast, upon which Yoda and Dooku fell without remorse. Closing my eyes, I plunged into Force meditation and began to observe the masters' fight. It lasted about twenty seconds. The finale was that Dooku cut off Jonal's second hand just above the wrist. I sighed with relief and decided that this was a suitable time to pass out... And yet, this technique is seriously unfinished...
In any case, this strange, chaotic mission and the adventures associated with it – all this... is over...